The WWE video games will continue to be developed by Japanese studio Yuke's, who have been working with the WWE since the first Smackdown game in 2000.

Promising to put its experience of publishing sports games such as NBA 2K13 to good use, 2K's David Ismailer said: "The WWE series is a great addition to our stable of triple-A titles, and we're very happy with this exclusive agreement with our new partners.

"We look forward to capturing the excitement of WWE and marrying it with the same commitment to authenticity and entertainment that we give to our NBA 2K and MLB 2K franchises," he added.

2K's Greg Thomas echoed the statement, saying fans could expect the "most authentic WWE experience on game consoles this fall".